One Hero to Another
by AtTheEndOfInfinity
Summary: With Annabeth at Olympus to oversee building, Percy can't sleep, still plagued with nightmares and flashbacks, and also not used to as soft a mattress as the one in his cabin, after his ordeals. Percy goes to his trusty beach, where Jason Grace currently resides. Together the two veteran heroes bond over the weights of leadership and the saving of the world.
**Summary: With Annabeth at Olympus to oversee building, Percy can't sleep, still plagued with nightmares and flashbacks, and also not used to as soft a mattress as the one in his cabin, after his ordeals. Percy goes to his trusty beach, where Jason Grace currently resides. Together the two veteran heroes bond over the weights of leadership and the saving of the world.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or anyone/anything else recognized as cannon**

Percy had tried everything. He had tried a soft mattress, (which made it worse,) he had tried the couch, he had tried the floor, heck, he even tried the pool. Nothing helped. He couldn't sleep. Normally he would go to Annabeth, but she was away and at Olympus making sure her designs were followed through.

With a sigh, Percy got up and silently slinked away and out of his cabin. He passed by the in progress cabins and the sleeping, and occasionally snoring, campers as he made his way over to the lake.

Percy then decided to visit BlackJack before he went to the lake, taking with him an apple and a few sugarcubes he kept in his cabin for just BlackJack. As he entered the stables, he noticed there were two unicorns. Smiling at the sign of a Roman and Greek friendship, he approached his midnight pegasus.

BlackJack stirred as Percy, (and the food,) got near. Percy patted BlackJack on the head.

"Hey buddy, sorry for waking you, but I needed to talk to someone. I brought sugarcubes." He added.

 _That you boss? What are you- Wait, sugar cubes? Do you have any donuts?_

Percy smiled amused as BlackJack started to rub his head on his pockets, were he had the sugar cubes. He fed BlackJack the apple, then the sugarcubes, promising donuts another time.

 _So boss, what are you doing here so late, or, early, seeing as it's 2:00 in the morning._

BlackJack asked after he finished off the sugarcubes, sighing contented.

"I couldn't sleep, with Annabeth at Olympus and everything."

BlackJack looked at him with a mix of concern and pity.

 _You still having those flashbacks boss? Why don't you try asking that Solace kid for something to help fall asleep? What about the cabin that's always sleeping? Or maybe try eating donuts, that always works._

Percy snorted, "Will is annoying enough, if anything Nico says is true, me telling him that I can't sleep is just going to make it worse. That's the Hypnos cabin by the way, and I'm pretty sure the donut thing only works for you."

Percy hoped that BlackJack didn't notice that he purposely avoided his first question. The flashbacks had been getting better, with time and the support of his friends, but now without Annabeth, they had started to come a little more frequently in the few days that she's been gone.

Percy knew he was broken, but Annabeth was broken too, and together their broken selves had completed each other. They needed each other, that much was true.

Percy noticed BlackJack was staring at him, as if he knew exactly what Percy had been trying to avoid. Scratch that, of course he knew, they had known each other for so long BlackJack could probably read him better than he could himself. Not to mention Percy had a hunch that BlackJack had heard his thoughts, a little minor kickback that came with being able to converse with equestrians.

Percy and BlackJack conversed for a few more minutes, before BlackJack yawned and Percy felt guilty that he had dragged BlackJack out of his sleep just because Percy himself couldn't sleep.

"You need to get some sleep BlackJack, I'll go to the lake. See you later." Because technically it was early morning, and he couldn't say tomorrow.

After Percy patted BlackJack affectionately one more time and left, he headed for the lake. As a son of Poseidon, the beach always his home, and it beckoned to him. Percy smiled at all the fond memories he had associated with the this place.

Percy took a deep breath, inhaling the sea breeze that lifted his spirits. The moon's light glistened as it was reflected by the relentless crashing waves. Only then did he notice the figure sitting on a rocky ledge on the beach. As he approached the figure, he recognized the uniform blond hair as being a certain son of Jupiter's, who had decided to stay at CHB for the time being, as Frank had taken role of praetor, and Piper was at CHB as well.

Percy grinned when he noticed Jason hadn't seen Percy yet. Creeping up behind him, Percy leaned down and whispered in Jason's ear,

"Boo."

Percy laughed as Jason literally jumped 5 feet into the air, using the wind to propel himself up, and assuming a fighting position while pulling his sword out, before seeing it was Percy and scowling.

"Dude, I almost decapitated you!" Jason said seriously.

"Aww, come on, you know I'm too fast for you." Percy teased, causing Jason to scowl deeper, but mock attacking, half-heartedly swinging his sword at Percy and then sitting down again, now somewhat cautiously.

"You can't sleep either?" Percy asked softly, as the atmosphere sobered significantly. Why else would Jason be down here at this hour? Besides, even Percy could tell when one of his best bros was sad.

Jason just nodded, "I had another nightmare, I couldn't sleep and I didn't want to bother the entire Aphrodite cabin just to get Piper…"

"Isn't it ironic how when you're on a quest all you can think of is getting a decent meal and a real bed? Then you're back, and the mattress is too soft for you?" Percy sighed. More so to himself than to Jason.

Jason nodded and Percy took a moment to pull himself out of his self pity. It was true though, he was so used to sleeping on the ground during quests it felt weird to sleep on the bed. A pity since he really loved his sleep. Even if he drooled while doing it.

"Why are _you_ here?" Jason questioned.

"Another flashback, I couldn't sleep, and Annabeth isn't here this time."

They traded a few more sentences, about all their quests and journeys, and Percy felt his shoulders sagging a little, and his smile not as forced. Talking to Jason, someone else who has felt the weight of all the expectations that came with leadership, someone who has felt the same pressure of saving their different worlds made him feel more relaxed. The pressure has lessened since the Giant War though.

"Luckily Frank is now praedator and he shares the leadership responsibilities with us ." Jason said, voicing Percy's thoughts.

"And you have Annabeth and the council to back you up too." Jason added. "But I'm still expected to be a leader to the legion and I'm still pressured to be the perfect Roman hero. Sometimes it becomes too much, and I started to crack, but I have to hide those cracks to keep up the perfect leader image. I get the feeling you have that too."

"You know, back when we were part of Hera's _trade program_ , everywhere I went, people kept talking about how important you where and that you were the best thing that ever happened to the legion. You made quite the impression." Percy assured Jason.

Jason looked at him, amused. "It couldn't have been as bad as when I first arrived at Camp Half-Blood and everyone was running around looking for you. It was all where is Percy Jackson? And Percy Jackson was awesome! We need Percy Jackson! The name Percy Jackson was _everywhere_."

Percy blushed at the exaggeration of his reputation and Jason raised an eyebrow, which just made Percy's face look more like a tomato. Jason shook his head at the Sea Prince's modesty, no wonder why everyone could tell Percy was Greek, no Roman would turn down such praise.

They then just sat together silently, no words were exchanged yet the silence was just as meaningful as the conversation.

Percy was happy he had decided to walk to the beach, otherwise he never would have been able to see this side of Jason. The side of him that was just a guy with too much pressure piled upon his shoulders. Percy had the same problem, and he was happy to help his friend and receive support in return. One hero to another.

~oÕo~

 **One hero to another. Although Jason is my least favorite, (doesn't mean I don't like him, he's awesome like the rest of the seven,) I think Percy and Jason would be best bros. This is in no way intended to be a Jercy fic, though if you ship them you can think of it as that way.**

 **I mean seriously though, Percy and Jason are both veteran heroes who have felt the same pressure of leadership. I can totally see this happening. Even if I cannot write Jason for the life of me.**

 **Please excuse the OOCness, as this is my first PJO fic, and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated, ;)**

 **Review if you can and if not, Thanks for reading. :)**


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